New Zealand Championships

New Zealand Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	ILTF Circuit (1913-1968)
Founded	1885; 140 years ago (1885)
Abolished	2020; 5 years ago (2020)
Location	Auckland Christchurch Dunedin Hastings Mount Eden Miramar Napier Nelson New Plymouth Palmerston Timaru Wellington
Venue	Various
Surface	Grass/Hard
Current champions
Men's singles	Finn Tearney
Women's singles	Paige Hourigan

The New Zealand Championships was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1885 in Napier, New Zealand[1] also known as the New Zealand National Lawn Tennis Championships or the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association Championships. The championships were organised by Tennis New Zealand, and played in various locations during its run that ended in 2020.[2]

History

New Zealand player Anthony Wilding and his father, Frederick Wilding, playing at the New Zealand Championships
(c. 1906–1909)

In December 1886, the first New Zealand Championships were held at Farndon Park, in the small town of Clive, near Napier.[3][4] The championships were organised by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, which was formed in Napier.[5]

The championships were held in numerous locations throughout the course of their history. The championships were not held from 1915 to 1918 due to World War I and also from 1940 to 1945 during World War II. Although the majority of the winners of the event were from New Zealand, a number of players from overseas also won the title, including Grand Slam singles winners Bill Tilden,[6] Fred Perry,[6] Vivian McGrath[6] and John Bromwich.[6] New Zealand's multiple Grand Slam singles winner Anthony Wilding also won the New Zealand championships title.[6] Before 1922 the Australasian championships were held in New Zealand on two occasions, but this was a separate tournament from the New Zealand championships. From 1922 onwards the Australasian Championships were no longer held at New Zealand or Perth and the event changed its name to the Australian Championships in 1927.

From 1973 to 1987 the event was sponsored by the oil company BP and was known as the BP New Zealand Championships.[7][8] From 1988 the event was a New Zealand national event and continued to be held through till 2020 when it was discontinued.[9] The tournament was played almost exclusively on grass courts from its inception until 1988 when it switched to hard courts.

The winner of the first men's singles title was Percival Fenwick, and the ladies singles was won by Sarah Lance.[9] The final winner of the men's singles title was Finn Tearney and the women's singles was won by Paige Hourigan.[10] The towns where the championships were held included Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hastings, Mount Eden, Miramar, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston, Timaru and Wellington. From 1979 the event was held permanently in Wellington.

Finals

Men's singles

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1886	Percival Fenwick[6]	Eric Hudson	6-2, 6-0, 6-4
1887	Percival Fenwick[6]	Richard Harman	6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 10-8, 6-2
1888	Percival Fenwick[6]	Minden Fenwick	4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 9-7
1889	Minden Fenwick[6]	Joy Marshall	6-4, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
1890	Joy Marshall[6]	Minden Fenwick	6-3, 6-4, 10-8
1891	Richard Harman[6]	Joy Marshall	6-4, 6-4, 10-8
1892	Minden Fenwick[6]	Richard Harman	1-6, 7-5, 9-7, 3-6, 6-4
1893	Minden Fenwick[6]	Patrick Marshall	1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
1894	James Hooper[6]	Harry Parker	3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
1895	Harry Parker[6]	James Hooper	6-4, 6-2, 6-5
1896	Joy Marshall[6]	James Hooper	8-6, 6-2, 6-0
1897	James Hooper[6]	Harry Parker	6-1, 8-6, 6-4
1898	Cecil Cox[6]	John Collins	6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
1899	James Hooper[6]	John Peacock	10-8, 6-3, 7-5
1900	Alfred Dunlop[6]	John Peacock	4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
1901	John Peacock[6]	Frederick Laishley	6-2, 6-4, 7-5
1902	Harry Parker[6]	John Peacock	6-2, 6-2, 6-1
1903	Harry Parker[6]	John Peacock	6-3, 6-2, 6-2
1904	Harry Parker[6]	Andrew Borrows	6-1, 6-2, 6-1
1905	Harry Parker[6]	Clifford Dickie	6-1, 6-0, 6-2
1906	Anthony Wilding[6]	Harry Parker	6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
1907	Harry Parker[6]	Thomas Quill	4-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-3
1908	Anthony Wilding[6]	Harry Parker	6-2, 6-1, 6-4
1909	Anthony Wilding[6]	Frank Fisher	6-1, 6-1, 6-1
1910	John Peacock[6]	Frank Fisher	6-1, 0-6, 6-1, 7-5
1911	Geoff Ollivier[6]	John Peacock	6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
1912	Robert Swanston[6]	Frank Fisher	2-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
1913	Alexander Wallace[6]	Clifford Dickie	5-7, 6-2, 6-2 rtd.
1914	Geoff Ollivier[6]	Lancelot Jennings	4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1
1915-18	No competition[6]
1919	Geoff Ollivier[6]	James Laurenson	6-2, 1-6, 6-0, 7-5
1920	Bill Tilden[6]	Watson Washburn	6-0, 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3
1921	James Laurenson[6]	Edgar Bartleet	6-2, 6-4, 6-4
1922	Geoff Ollivier[6]	James Laurenson	6-4, 6-3, 7-5
1923	Arthur Sims[6]	Geoff Ollivier	9-7, 6-3, 6-1
1924	Geoff Ollivier[6]	James Laurenson	6-2, 6-0, 6-0
1925	Geoff Ollivier[6]	Donald France	5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
1926	Eskell 'Buster' Andrews[6]	Allan North	2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3
1927	Geoff Ollivier[6]	Edgar Bartleet	6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7
1928	Edgar Bartleet[6]	Cam Malfroy	4-6, 7-5, 8-6, 6-4
1929	Charlie Angas[6]	Donald France	6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
1930	Alan Stedman[6]	Harold Barnett	7-5, 6-1, 6-3
1931	Charlie Angas[6]	Harold Barnett	5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0
1932	Eskell 'Buster' Andrews[6]	Cam Malfroy	6-0, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
1933	Cam Malfroy[6]	Clifford Sproule	4-6, 8-6, 6-3, 6-8, 6-3
1934	Fred Perry[6]	Abel Kay	6-2, 6-3, 6-2
1935	Vivian McGrath[6]	Eskell 'Buster' Andrews	5-7, 10-8, 7-5, 6-0
1936	Dennis Coombe[6]	Noel Bedford	6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
1937	Alistair Browne[6]	Robert Pattinson	6-0, 7-5, 6-1
1938	Neil Edwards[6]	Harold Barnett	6-4, 6-1, 6-1
1939	John Bromwich[6]	Jack Crawford	7-5, 6-3, 6-3
1940-45	No competition[6]
1946	Ron McKenzie[6]	Stanley Painter	6-1, 6-1, 7-5
1947	Ron McKenzie[6]	Leo Roach	6-2, 0-6, 6-1, 6-3
1948	Ron McKenzie[6]	Jeff Robson	7-5, 6-2, 6-2
1949	Jeff Robson[6]	Ron McKenzie	6-1, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
1950	George Worthington[6]	Jeff Robson	6-4, 6-3, 7-5
1951	Ron McKenzie[6]	John Barry	6-2, 9-7, 6-4
1952	Jeff Robson[6]	Bill Sidwell	1-6, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
1953	George Worthington[6]	Jeff Robson	6-4, 6-4, 7-5
1954	John Barry[6]	Mark Otway	8-6, 6-3, 6-3
1955	John Barry[6]	Jeff Robson	6-4, 6-3, 6-2
1956	Jeff Robson[6]	Ron McKenzie	5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
1957	Mike Davies[6]	Jeff Robson	2-6, 10-8, 6-3, 6-4
1958	Bob Howe[6]	Jeff Robson	1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
1959	Bob Howe[6]	John Barry	6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
1960	Lew Gerrard[6]	Mark Otway	6-1, 6-4, 6-4
1961	Lew Gerrard[6]	Brian Woolf	6-1, 6-2 6-1
1962	Lew Gerrard[6]	Ian Crookenden	8-6, 7-5, 6-1
1963	Lew Gerrard[6]	Robert Clarke	6-2, 6-1, 6-2
1964	Lew Gerrard[6]	Gene Scott	3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 9-7
1965	Barry Phillips-Moore[6]	Lew Gerrard	6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
1966	Ken Fletcher[6]	Roger Taylor	6-4, 5-7, 4-6, 6-0, 9-7
1967	Mark Cox[6]	Brian Fairlie	7-5, 6-0, 6-1
1968	Brian Fairlie[6]	Colin Stubs	6-2, 6-3, 6-1
1969	Brian Fairlie[6]	Onny Parun	6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
1970	Onny Parun[6]	Richard Hawkes	6-1, 12-10, 6-4
1971	Colin Dibley[6]	Bob Giltinan	6-1, 6-4, 6-4
1972	Onny Parun[6]	Steve Faulk	3-6, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6
1973	Syd Ball[6]	Kim Warwick	6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
1974	Onny Parun[11]	Russell Simpson	7-6, 6-4, 6-4
1975	Gerhard Wimmer[12]	Russell Simpson	6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4
1976	Onny Parun[13]	Peter Langsford	7-5, 7-6, 7-6
1977	Brian Fairlie[14]	Dale Collings	6-3, 6-4, 7-5
1978	Denis Gibson[15]	Peter Langsford	7-5, 6-4
1979	Larry Loeb[16]	David Mustard	6-2, 6-1
1980	Mark Lewis[17]	Onny Parun	2-6, 6-3, 9-7
1981	Onny Parun[18]	Bruce Derlin	6-3, 6-2
1982	Onny Parun[19]	Rand Evett	7-5, 6-2
1983	John McCurdy[20]	David Mustard	7-6, 6-4
1984	David Mustard[21]	Steve Guy	7-6, 6-4
1985	Kelly Evernden[22]	David Lewis	7-6, 6-4
1986	Kelly Evernden[23]	James Dunphy[24]
1987	Kelly Evernden[23]	Bruce Derlin	6-3, 6-4

Event names

The event was first known as the New Zealand National Lawn Tennis Championships or the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association Championships. It was later shortened to just New Zealand Championships and historically sometimes referred to as the New Zealand Senior Championships.[25] From 1973 to 1987 the tournament was sponsored by the oil company BP and was branded as the BP New Zealand Championships.[26] From 1988 to 1992 the BP National Championships was a Grand Prix/ATP level event and from 1993-95 was part of the challenger circuit. The New Zealand national championships no longer had BP sponsorship from 1988 and was a national event won by New Zealand players only.[9]

See also

• BP National Championships
• ATP Auckland Open
• WTA Auckland Open
• Category:National and multi-national tennis tournaments

Notes

This event should not be confused with the New Zealand Open Championships event that was first played in Auckland in 1969 and exclusively in that city until 1979 that was a combined event until 1981, and is directly descended from the both ATP Auckland Open and WTA Auckland Open.[27] This tournament for all of its history was regarded as a national championships, and should not be confused with the men's BP National Championships tournament that was titled as such from 1988 to 1992 was also a different roll of winners.[28]

References

1. "History". tennis.kiwi. Tennis New Zealand. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
2. "Tennis NZ Roll of Honour" (PDF). Tennis Kiwi. Tennis New Zealand. 2020. pp. 18, 19, 20. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
3. "Lawn Tennis Tournament". The Press (Christchurch): 5. 31 December 1886.
4. Tennis New Zealand
5. Ryan, Greg (2 August 2004). The Making of New Zealand Cricket: 1832-1914. Oxford: Routledge. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-135-75482-2.
6. Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. New York: Viking Press. p. 293.
7. "Parun champion for the third time". The Press (Christchurch). 7 January 1974. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
8. "Kelly Evernden reaps reward from weeks of hard slog". The Press (Christchurch). 22 December 1986. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
9. "Tennis NZ Roll of Honour" (PDF). Tennis Kiwi. Tennis New Zealand. 2020. pp. 18, 19, 20. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
10. Tennis New Zealand. pp. 18, 19, 20.
11. "Parun champion for the third time". The Press (Christchurch). 7 January 1974. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
12. "N.Z. tennis singles titles to overseas players again". The Press (Christchurch). 20 January 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
13. "Parun beats odds to win BP title". The Press (Christchurch). 5 January 1976. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
14. "Fairlie tames Dale Collings". The Press (Christchurch). 7 February 1977. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
15. "Gibson adds to N.Z. Tennis Wins". The Press (Christchurch). 30 January 1978. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
16. "Loeb wins national title". The Press (Christchurch). 5 February 1979. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
17. "Lewis' stunning success too late for cup tie". The Press (Christchurch). 4 February 1980. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
18. "Parun demolishes Derlin". The Press (Christchurch). 16 February 1981. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
19. "Onny Parun bows out with fine form". The Press (Christchurch). 1 February 1982. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
20. "Tennis title to McCurdy". The Press (Christchurch). 31 January 1983. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
21. "Mustard wins first N.Z. singles title". The Press (Christchurch). 24 January 1984. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
22. "Evernden, Perry triumph in tennis". The Press (Christchurch). 21 January 1985. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
23. "Kelly Evernden reaps reward from weeks of hard slog". The Press (Christchurch). 22 December 1986. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
24. "Forgotten trio bounce back to prominence". The Press (Christchurch). 19 December 1986. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
25. "'NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage, New Zealand. 1966. p. 4. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
26. "WORLD SPORT IN BRIEF: Evonne Goolagong, Australia's 1971 Wimbledon champion, reached the quarter-finals the BP New Zealand tennis championships Christchurch today by beating Michelle Gurdal of Belgium 6-4, 6-2". Evening Express. Aberdeenshire, Scotland: Aberdeen Journals. 17 January 1973. p. 16. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
27. Tennis New Zealand. pp. 18, 19, 20.
28. Tennis New Zealand. pp. 18, 19, 20.